Scavenger Hunt at Trendy Tree!

Try your hand at our very first Scavenger Hunt at Trendy Tree! The object could be anything on our website.

RULES

Scavenger Hunt starts 4/29/11 - ends 4/30/11

Participants must live in the 48 continental US

(excludes Alaska, Hawaii, APO addresses and International)

Clues posted to the Trendy Tree Blog and Facebook

Winner's name will be posted to the Trendy Tree Blog and Facebook

How to proceed if you think you've found the object:

• Place the object in your shopping cart
• Enter the code "200" (if you are correct and someone else hasn't beaten you to it, your order should show a 100% discount.
• Shipping will show on your order, but you WILL NOT BE CHARGED and item will be shipped free.
• As you proceed through the checkout process, DO NOT enter any payment method, choose "Telephone Order" to bypass this. Any sort of payment information is not needed....this is a FREE Scavenger Hunt!

Clue #1

A Type of Drink

GOOD LUCK!

Glitzy Sticks! Coming to Trendy Tree!

Glitzy Sticks!

New product scheduled to arrive around August 2011. 15 colors of glitttery, shiny Glitzy Sticks!

Flexible, 36" in length and 4 mm in width ( a little less than 1/4") Sold in bags of 24 pieces.

Glitzy Sticks can be used in a variety of ways for all your craft project, add a burst of color and dimension to your floral arrangements, wreaths, decorate your Christmas tree and packages. Here a few photos of ways to use Glitzy Sticks and I'm sure you can come up with dozens more!

Glitzy Sticks colors include: Lime Green, Red, Pink, Fuchsia, Purple, Royal Blue, Emerald Green, White, Black, Silver, Gold, Copper, Chocolate, Orange, Turquoise

Arriving to Trendy Tree in August 2011!

"Dying" Naturally.....Easter Eggs that is....

We'll all be coloring or dying eggs for this weekend and today I received the neatest information in an email from our RADKO rep. An article on "going natural" for Easter. Here is it:

DIY Decorating: Easter Edition

Fun projects to bring some of Spring's good vibes inside

Go Natural:

Boxed egg-dye kits are absolutely fine (and some of them come with glitter!), but did you know that you can color Easter eggs using just water, vegetables and vinegar? True story! The result is softer colors and less mess. Here's how:

Add the one of the following color-rich, natural ingredients to a large saucepan containing 5-6 cups of water and 1.5 tablespoons white vinegar. Bring to a boil and simmer for up to 30 minutes before removing from heat and adding 4-5 hard boiled eggs at a time. Keep solids (beets, cabbage) in the pot for a crinkle effect; remove it for smooth color. Display eggs in wicker baskets, vintage bowls

Pink -- 2 medium-sized beets, washed but unpeeled and chopped

Yellow -- 1/4 cup ground turmeric

Blue -- 1/2 large head of red cabbage, chopped into ribbons



Turn Trash into Tiny Treasures:


Don't toss the shells after breakfast this weekend! Carefully cracking will provide you with the groundwork for a super Spring-y seed starting display. Gather up:

4-12 eggshells, cracked in 1/2 or 3/4 and emptied

a sewing needle or thumbtack

an empty egg carton

paint, markers, or crayons

a small amount of soil

seeds (marigolds, sweet pea, cucumbers and herbs work best and seem to sprout the fastest, but use your imagination!)

• Carefully wash the empty egg shells. Pat dry with a cloth or paper towel and poke a little hole in the very bottom of each shell.
• Paint or color these to your taste using watercolors, acrylics, markers or crayons for a little extra flair. They're beautiful on their own, though, so no worries if you prefer the natural look.
• Using high-quality potting soil or dirt culled from your existing garden, fill each shell approximately half way full.
• Place dirt-filled shells in the egg carton and, using your finger, create a dent in which to tuck 1-2 seeds. Cover seeds with dirt and spritz with water.
• Set the whole thing by a sunny window, moistening as necessary, and you'll have cute little sprouts in no time at all!
• When your plants outgrow their starter shells, carefully crack each one and plant them directly into a larger pot or your garden. The roots will extend out and down and the shell will decompose over time!

HAPPY EASTER!

Pink Iridescent Poly Deco Flex Tubing - Back in Stock at Trendy Tree!

Just arrived! More the Deco Flex Tubing in Iridescent Pink.

Stock up now while supplies are plentiful!

Visit us at Trendy Tree to see more Poly Deco Flex Tubing in 21 Colors!

Southern Oven Fried Chicken

I recently purchased the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, 1950 edition off eBay. This cookbook is just like the one my mother had when I was a child and I suppose it's been gone for years or still packed away in some obscure place. Anyway, when I saw one like it on eBay....I had to have it! It's really in remarkably good shape to be so old and has no missing pages! And the extra part is, the lady (assuming it was a lady) who owned the book had taken much care to tuck in recipes from Better Homes and Gardens magazines dating back to 1944. These recipe pages were designed to be cut out and placed in a ring-binder cookbook. Each recipe has a little note that tells you which tab to file the recipe under.

This recipe is for Southern Oven Fried Chicken and dated September, 1955. I made it for our Sunday lunch and it was really good! Even the grandchildren ate it......now, I don't know about yours, but our grandchildren are a bit of picky eaters.....except for the little one and bless his heart, he will eat anything))) He's only three and he just accepts anything you offer. He'll spit it out if he doesn't like it, but by gosh....he'll try it! The other two, 8 and 10 year old......if you ask them to try something new they act as if you've said you were going to cut off an ear or something! But they liked this))) And for some unknown reason, they like my baked macaroni and cheese! Now, I know MOST kids all love macaroni and cheese, but they actually like the homemade kind better than Kraft in a box....go figure...So at least now we have a meat and casserole they will eat, now if we could just camouflage broccoli or something....

Southern Oven-Fried Chicken

"Couldn't be easier - no browning - no turning! And delicious!"

1 4-ounce package potato chips (two cups crushed)

1/4 Tsp garlic salt

Dash Pepper

1 2 1/2 to 3 pound ready to cook frying chicken, disjointed

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Combine crushed chips and seasonings. Dip chicken in melted butter; roll in chip mixture. Place pieces, skin side up, so they do not touch in greased shallow pan or jelly-roll pan. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) 1 hour, or till tender (do not turn). Makes 4 servings.

Mrs. Robert Regg, Jr., Hendersonville, Tennessee

The chicken was very tender, crisp on the outside and overall very good. The things I did different in this recipe were only to add more crushed potato chips and more butter. I had more chicken that the recipe called for I'm sure. Our best friends ate lunch with us too and the first thing my friend said was "did you cut up this chicken???" No, I didn't cut up a whole chicken or "disjoint" one as the recipe called for....but I've done it plenty of times! It's one of the "good ole day" things that I don't plan to do again unless I have to do it just to prove myself to someone))) And, I use parchment paper on my pans....no stick and makes clean up a snap.

Four ounces of potato chips would hardly have covered a leg and breast of this chicken. But honestly, what is it with today's chickens! They are SO large. The split breasts I had were huge! I had to cut them in half to make quarter breast! And the legs were hefty too! I don't know what's in the breeder's chicken feed nowadays, maybe they're getting growth hormone.....it's just not right.....I'd hate to meet one of the chickens in a dark alley!

I was saying to my friend at the dinner table about this looking and tasting like real fried chicken, but since it was baked....so much healthier.......we just looked at each other and laughed.......I had forgotten about the potato chips and butter.......oh well. We do live in the South and you know we can fry anything when given the opportunity!

The baked macaroni and cheese recipe came from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. Typically the macaroni and cheese I make uses boiled macaroni. The I make a mixture of butter, milk, flour and a little cheese. Shred cheddar cheese and stir it into the macaroni and then pour the mixture over it, and bake in the oven. This recipe specifically did not include the step of making your liquid mixture. I was skeptical about this one, but thought I'd give it a try.

Pioneer Macaroni and Cheese (a Betty Crocker Key recipe)

"The simplest kind of dish."

Place in alternating layers in a buttered 12 x 7 1/2 x 2" baking dish

Boiled macaroni (8 oz uncooked)

Dots of butter (2 Tbsp in all)

1 1/4 cup cut-up sharp cheese (1/2" cubes - 1/3" lb)

Salt (3/4 tsp in all)

Pepper (1/4 tsp in all)

2 cups milk

Sprinkle with Paprika

Bake until golden brown on top. Serve hot from baking dish.....garnished, if desired, with parsley sprigs, pimiento strips, pepper rings, etc.

Temperature; 350 degrees (mod oven)

Time: Bake 40 min

Amount: 6 to 8 servings

What I did different: Well, as you can see, I didn't cube my cheese.....I just cut it up and dropped it in. I also didn't let it get quite as brown as I would have liked, but it was done and I was pressed by time....so next time I'll wait until it gets a little browner. It was a nice consistency even without the flour. I was pleasantly surprised! And the cheese even tasted sharper. I think this may also have been because of no flour.

I most definitely will change my way of fixing macaroni and cheese to this method.....it's quicker and the finished result is tastier! There is a version to this key recipe that calls for cooked tomatoes....can't wait to try it.

Angel Food Cake with Filling Betty Crocker 1950's Recipe

Sunday dessert was from Betty Crocker's 1950 Picture Cookbook. A freshly baked Angel Food Cake with filling and covered in whipped cream. This cake should have been named DREAM CAKE. Wonderful!

This recipe started with the Angel Food Cake recipe (a "key" recipe) "Light as air.....fluffy as a cloud."

Set out, but do not grease ....... 10" tube pan, 4" deep

Measure and sift together three times :

1 cup sifted SOFTASILK flour or 1 cup sifted Gold Medal Flour

7/8 cup of sugar (granulated)

(mix and set aside to be added to merinque later)

Measure into large mixing bowl:

1 1/2 cups of egg whites (12)

1 1 /2 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Beat with wire whip until foamy.

Gradually add, 2 tbsp. at a time ...................... 3/4 cup sugar (granulated)

Continue beating until meringue holds stiff peaks.

Sift gradually the flour sugar mixture over the meringue.

Fold in gently just until the flour-sugar mixture disappears. Push batter into ungreased tube center pan. Gently cut through batter with a knife. Bake. When cake tests done, invert. Let hang until cold.

Temperature: 375 degrees (quick mod. oven)

Time: Bake 30 to 35 min

* To see if your cake is done: bake until no imprint remains when finger lightly touches top of cake. (Another way, is to insert a toothpick. Cake is done if toothpick comes out clean.)

* Apparently they used to make (and may still) a sort of cone shaped holder that you could invert a tube pan on. I didn't have anything like that, but my tube pan had little tabs that extended about 1" from the top of the pan, so when inverted the top of the cake was not touching anything. Once cooled, to remove an Angel Food Cake from the pain, insert a knife or long slender spatula down the side of the pan and gently pull the cake away from the edge, do this around the tube also. I had to go around my cake a couple of times to get the bottom to turn loose.

*Egg whites: A dozen egg whites is an estimate. It actually took only 11 eggs to measure 1 1/2" of egg whites. If you don't have an egg white separator ( I don't) save yourself some trouble. You don't want any yolk to get into your white, so break each egg and separate by dropping the yolk into a bowl, but drop your egg white onto a saucer by itself. Slip that egg white into your mixing bowl, then do another egg. You don't to be on egg #10 and get yolk into your mixing bowl.

*Sifting ingredients. This is essential, even if using presifted flour. Had to send my husband to town to buy me a new sifter! Had one, once upon a time....but I guess you can tell....it's been a while since I've used it))

*Oven temperature: Even though this recipe is over 50 years old, temperature is temperature. My oven is a convection oven though and this probably altered the results a little. The cake came out a little browner than I wanted, but it was to be covered with whip cream.....no one complained about it))

Once the cake was cool, it was set aside while the filling was made. The filling recipe came from the Desserts section of the cookbook. This excerpt heads that chapter:

Desserts

Dessert originally meant food served after the table had been cleared or "deserted" of everything else......even the cloth removed. We find accounts of grand dinners served in the early days of our country describing the polished mahogany tables with candles in tall silver candelabra casting a mellow glow over the guests enjoying a "dessert" of fresh fruit. In Europe, "dessert" still means fruit served at the end of the meal. However, for them, this fruit course follows a "sweet" ....that is a pudding, pastry, souffle', or an elaborate torte creation. We Americans have simply promoted the "sweet" to the place of honor at the end of the meal.

European visitors in our country are amazed at the array of "sweets" Americans have to choose from. In addition to those we have adopted from other nations, British steamed puddings, German and Austrian tortes, French meringues, and Italian souffles, we have developed our own special favorites, including ice creams and our fruit shortcakes and cobblers.

This wide variety of truly delightful desserts make it difficult to choose a section for one chapter. It would have been easier to fill a whole cook book with dessert recipes. We have tried, however, to give you dessert favorites of each type. You will find some that are suitable for holiday dinners and parties....other for simply family meals where consideration must be given to what the children may eat. Then there are the elaborate distinctly party desserts for buffet suppers or dessert luncheons. Of course we have made it a point to include homey, old-time favorites too!

With all these at your fingertips, we hope you will have fun servcing dessert that will bring each meal to a satisfying and delightful finish.

Betty Crocker, 1950

The fillings for angel food cake all sounded delicious. There was Angel Food Waldorf; Apricot Ice Cream; Almond Cream; Luscious Chocolate Almond Dessert; Fresh Strawberry Coconut; Chocolate Peppermint and Angel Food Delight. I chose the Angel Food Delight.

Choice of an epicure, Judge Leslie L. Anderson, Minneapolis, MN

Prepare Angel Food Cake for filling. Fill cake cavity with:

Fruit Cream Filling and Frosting

Whip until stiff .....

3 cups whipping cream

Beat in.....

6 tbsp. confectioner's sugar

Fold into a little less than half the cream .....

3/4 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

1 cup fresh strawberries, cut in halves

6 marshmallows, cut into quarters

Replace top of cake and spread remaining cream on top and sides. Chill 4 to 8 hours.



How to Fill Angel Food Cake

1. Place a high 10" Angel Food Cake upside-down on a plate or waxed paper. Slice entire top from cake about 1" down. Lift off top and lay to one side.

2. Cut down into the cake 1" from outer edge, and 1" from middle hole, leaving a substantial "wall" of cake about 1'' thick, and 1" base at the bottom.

3. Remove the center with a curved knife or spoon, being careful to leave a "wall" of cake at bottom 1" thick. Place on serving plate.

4. Completely fill cavity with chilled filling.

5. Replace top of cake and press gently. Cover top and sides with the remaining chilled cream mixture.

Things I did different in the recipe and what I'll do next time:

I only sifted one time.....cake would have probably been taller if I can followed the directions more closely. I really missed that part until posting this blog! Instead of quartering the strawberries, I sliced mine up smaller and even mashed them up a little bit. Also cut the marshmallow into smaller pieces.

Next time....I think I'll just buy an Angel Food Cake! End result should be just as good and such a time saver! Plan to try the Angel Food Waldorf next time. It has Chocolate Whipped Cream....been wanting to try this for sure! As far as whipping the egg whites and the whipped cream....I simply can't image doing it with a wire whisk or hand beater! Our fore...mothers....must have had biceps like a power lifter!

Classic Red and Green for Christmas

If you like classic red and green as your Christmas colors, this checked style of deco poly mesh is perfect for you! The little strips of red foil add to the glimmer and shine making your holiday creations sparkle.

Decorative poly mesh ribbon or netting as it is sometimes called, comes in 10 yards rolls (30 feet), 21" wide. It is made of a synthetic material similar to Sinamay. It has just a bit of stretch, but holds it shape and retains it's color remarkably well. It actually is water resistant and is great our outdoor use. It will eventually fade when left in bright sunlight, but just by experience, it takes a really long time. It holds its crispness when fashioned into wreaths, bows and garlands. And, if you change your mind about your creation, just undo it and start over...... If you use it for garland on your Christmas tree, you can re-roll it right back on to the cardboard tube and use again the following year. I have some that I've used for 3-4 years now.

As with any project, if you're not sure how many rolls you need, buy extra. You'll find other uses for I guarantee.

RAZ Red and Green Glittered Ball Sprays

 

RAZ Red and Green 12" Glittered Snowflakes

Large 6" Red and Green Glittered Balls

RAZ Red and Green Lighted Christmas Packages

Glitter Sticks - Red- Green - Gold

If red and green are two of your favorite colors to decorate with, come visit us at Trendy Tree.....we have a whole section of all red and green decorations, trims, ribbons and more! Just browse the section "Red and Green"

A Good Day!

Some days, you just have to close up shop and head out.....today was one of those days)) We picked up our youngest grandson and headed to New Albany.

First stop was to wander around downtown New Albany.....so many quaint shops....and Sugaree's Bakery.

This place is WONDERFUL. Everything I've ever tasted from Sugaree's is scrumptious. Today was chocolate chip walnut cookies. Sugaree's is located right on Bankhead street (for all practical purposes, this is "main" street downtown New Albany). Actually Main Street is on the backside of New Albany and many, many years ago was the main drag through town. It was actually called the Jockey Yard.....I've heard my grandmother say many times. We also tried the Strawberry Cake today. YUM! This cake tasted so much like the fresh strawberry cake my mother used to make that we went back to Sugaree's before we left town and picked up a slice for my 89 year old Dad. I hope he enjoys it tonight)))

Next stop was to the Union County Seed and Feed store to buy ferns. There was a time where I tried to keep my ferns through the winter, but I gave up due to the mess with the shedding and each spring we get enough shade ferns to go across the back porch and sun ferns to go around pool. You won't find any green thumbs around our place. We have no luck with plant life, but somehow my ferns thrive)). The trick is Bone Meal. Bone meal, actually comes from bones....ground up animal bones from slaughterhouses...don't worry, it's sterilized. The bone meal contains nitrogen which makes the leaves green, phosphate which aids in having a healthy sturdy plant. Just lift up the fronds and sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on the dirt and lightly water. Rinse any off that might be on the fronds, but I really haven't noticed problem like burning the leaves or anything like you can do with other types of fertilizer.

And, at the Seed and Feed, they have this wonderful old Rocket Ride, still in it's original form. It costs a dime and is an absolute must for the grands each time we go in the store. They usually have a few live animals too, baby chicks, hens, rabbits....you never know what you're going to find.

Then off to the City Park for some playground fun. Matt had a lot of fun on the slides.....they have so many, and they are well maintained, it shady with huge trees everywhere and just an overall nice place to visit.

We walked around the park and watched some young men playing disk golf I think you call it. You throw a frisbee like disk and go from one hole to the other similar to golf. Looks like something the entire family could enjoy and the course at the City Park is free. Matt had to stop and throw sweet gum balls and sticks into the Tallahatchie River.

This took up quite a bit of our morning as we had to throw them in on one side of the bridge, run over to the other side and watch them float by. Yes....you do these kinds of things for a 3 year old who thought it was great fun. And this is the Tallahatachie River that Billie Joe McAllister jumped into according to Bobbie Gentry's 1967 song Ode to Billie Joe.

Next stop was lunch at Latham's Hamburger Inn. Seems we've started a routine with the grands.....they love to go to Latham's and sit on the old wooden bar stools that turn round and round, drink cokes from little bottles and read all the old signs on the brick wall behind the counter. Hamburgers and hot dogs are the usual fare for our folks. Today Matt had a hot dog and we had the "standard" cheeseburgers and fries. Everytime we take Matt, we have to bring his Coke bottle home and refill it for the rest of the day with whatever he drinks.

So, that was just about it. We dropped off a slice of Sugaree's Strawberry Cake and two of Latham's cheeseburgers off to daddy and Matt was fast asleep in his car seat. By the time we arrived at home with 10 ferns he was awake and ready to help get them placed in pots. We potted the ferns and he did all the watering ......with just a little help.

Not a particularly special day......just a day, but one worth remembering.

Today's Color is Purple!

The actual color of Tyrian purple, the original color purple from which the name purple is derived, is the color of a dye extracted from a mollusc found on the shores of the city of Tyre in ancient Phoenicia (present day Lebanon) that in classical antiquity became a symbol of royalty because only the very wealthy could afford it. Therefore, Tyrian purple was also called imperial purple. (Wikipedia)

Well, that was a mouthful! Purple, we all love purple. Deep, rich, jewel tones......If you like purple.....we have it!

 Just received a shipment of Deco Poly Flex Tubing! Brilliant, sparkling purple with purple foil metallic. Flex tubing adds a "pop" of color to your creations and gives dimension to your bows, wreath making, garlands, floral arrangements and tree trimming. You can use it as a simple tie around packages, around candles, around bunches of fresh flowers.....

Visit us at Trendy Tree and see all the new colors that just came in of Deco Poly Flex Tubing.

Deco Poly Mesh Ribbon Spirit Stripe Blue White Blue Netting

Decorative poly mesh netting in 21" width and 10 yard rolls. Great for making wreaths, bows, garland, and especially decorating your tailgating section! 

This blue-white-blue color can be combined with white poly mesh and also Royal Blue Deco Poly Flex Tubing to add dimension, more sparkle and shine.

The Duke University Blue Devils colors are blue and white. Duke Football Christmas ornaments would be a great embellishment to your creation and fantastic keepsake party favor. 

 Penn State colors are also blue and white. Penn State's initial colors were pink and black but currently blue and white. 

University of California Berkeley....another blue and white!

University of Kentucky - more blue and white - popular colors!

 My goodness....I didn't realize there were so many blue/white colleges....and I'm sure there are more!
Visit us at Trendy Tree today and get the supplies you need to create your own spectacular wreaths and garlands and dress up your tailgating space! We have the Poly Deco Work Wreaths and Poly Deco Work Garlands in many colors.

Chocolate/Copper Deco Flex Tubing Just Arrived!

Great new color of Deco Flex Tubing just arrived at Trendy Tree. This one is Chocolate/Copper foil. It's bright and shiny, flexible. Comes in a bag of 30 yards (3 ten-yard pieces).

Deco Flex Tubing is great for easy bow making, gift wrapping, adding dimension to your creative projects just as wreaths, garlands, floral arrangements, decorating your Christmas tree. It can be tied, untied and reused again.

Visit us at Trendy Tree and see the 22 colors we have of Poly Deco Flex Tubing, ones that are showing out of stock should be arriving any day!

Purple Crushed Metallic Ribbon

Purple Crushed Metallic Ribbon

This Purple Crushed Metallic ribbon just arrived today at Trendy Tree. The color is gorgeous, sparkly and bold. This ribbon just screams MARDI GRAS!!!! It has a wire edge, huge 4" in width and 25 yards in length. The crushed effect makes it shine even more. It's lightweight and bows are very easily created. The ribbon is the same on both sides and with the crush effect you can redo your bow or creation until you get it just like you want it....creases won't show.

Fuchsia and Turquoise also came in, and we still have more on the way. Shop early while supplies are plentiful. This ribbon is great for year round use, perfect for jazzing up gift packages in a snap. Made of 100% Nylon.

 

Fuchsia

 

Turquoise

Visit us at Trendy Tree to see our wide selection of wire edge ribbons - Christmas, solids, stripes, Halloween, Spring, Valentine's Day and more!